When you read the letters written by Paul to the churches, it is obvious that there were divisions in the church even then about pagan Gentile practices versus Jewish or kosher laws, traditions, and holidays.
There were differences of opinions even in the early days of the church with how to deal with holidays, and customs, and traditions within the church. Paul spent a lot of time teaching on honoring your brothers convictions, and not enforcing your own convictions on others.
My personal opinion is that each one of us should be fully persuaded in our own minds and hearts from the Lord, as to how he would have us to live. Being aware that almost all of our church and holiday traditions come from pagans and idolators is a very good thing, so that we don't get so caught up in those traditions and blinded by them.
Read what Paul wrote about meat that was offered to idols in
I Cor. 8:1-8 - instead of quoting the whole passage I will quote part of vs. 4, "we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and there is none other God but one." and in vs. 8 "meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat (meat offered to idols) are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse."
So to put this into perspective with the culture we have today.... eating meat offered to pagan idols really meant nothing to Paul, because he knew there was only one God, and so it didn't affect him, and he would eat the meat offered to idols, if it were served in a meal.
Likewise, if we celebrate Christmas as a traditional holiday, and a family custom, so be it, knowing that it is a custom that comes from the pagans, but that the Christmas tree or the presents or the meal really have no part of celebrating what took place when Christ was born... or if we abstain completely from Christmas all together to honor Christ every day of the year... so be it... as long as we are fully persuaded in our own minds.
Hybrid Mode
